Courtesy: FIFA.com


Classy Cubillo inspires Ticos fightback

Costa Rica have revived their hopes of reaching the knockout stages at the FIFA Futsal World Cup with an amazing comeback against Paraguay at Bangkok’s Huamark Stadium. Having been two goals down at half-time,

Los Ticos stormed back to win 5-3, with the outstanding Edwin Cubillo creating two and scoring another couple, including an early candidate for goal of the tournament.

The CONCACAF champions could hardly have made a worse start, falling behind in one minute and 41 seconds to the fastest goal of the competition thus far. Rubbing salt in their wounds was the fact that it went down as an own goal, with goalkeeper Jairo Toruna credited with the final touch from a Fabio Alcaraz kick-in. The picture became even gloomier for Costa Rica nine minutes later when Alcaraz doubled Paraguay’s lead, bursting away from Diego Zuniga and lashing a magnificent shot into the roof of net from wide on the right-hand touchline.

He might have been beaten for this goal, but Zuniga was the man to set the comeback in motion two minutes into the second half, prodding home left-footed from close range after latching on to Cubillo’s defence-splitting pass. Within three minutes, Luis Navarette equalised, knocking the ball over the goal-line after Cubillo’s cross had deflected off Paraguay’s Gabriel Ayala and on to the crossbar.

Cubillo then added a goal of his own, blasting into the net off the underside of the bar, before Navarette scored his second - Costa Rica’s fourth within a six-minute period – by sweeping the ball beyond the stunned Carlos Espinola. Forced into drastic measures, Paraguay took a risk in giving Ayala the goalkeeper’s jersey and pushing him forward to join their attack. However, it was a gamble that backfired spectacularly when the defender-turned-keeper’s pass was cut out, with Cubillo somehow finding the unguarded net with a brilliant left-foot shot from almost inside his own penalty box.

And while Walter Villalba claimed a well-worked consolation, there was still time for Cubillo to cap an amazing comeback – and a superb individual showing – with a gorgeous flick from the halfway line after Ayala was again left stranded.

The quotes
“Costa Rica did not surprise me - what surprised me was our lack of concentration in the second half. We made too many mistake in our passing and dropped too deep in defence,"
Fernando Leite, Paraguay coach.

“The first half looked like our first match, when we missed many of the chances we were able to create. The key to the second half was keeping a cool head and never releasing the pressure on them. And, of course, scoring the goals! I told my players at half-time, ‘You score first and the rest will follow’. And that is exactly how it happened,”
Diego Solís, Costa Rica coach.




Courtesy: FIFA.com


Japan battle back to deny Portugal

Japan have produced yet another remarkable comeback – the latest to add to a long list at Thailand 2012 – to draw 5-5 with Portugal and boost their hopes of a place in the last 16. The Portuguese had looked set to claim a place in the knockout phase with a game to spare but both teams will now go into their final Group C matches with their fate in the balance.

The European side started superbly and Joao Matos got the ball rolling after just 49 seconds with the fastest goal of the tournament thus far, rounding off an excellent move started by a cheeky back-heel from Ricardinho. Stunned by that early blow, Japan found themselves two down 59 seconds later, Ricardinho turning goalscorer on this occasion to head home at the back from an intelligent looping cross by his captain, Arnaldo.

Cardinal then increased Portugal’s lead, cutting inside to beat the keeper low to his right, before Japan pulled one back through a superb Kaoru Morioka strike into the top right-hand corner. However, any hopes the Asian champions had of claiming anything from this match looked to have disappeared when Cardinal and Ricardinho both completed their braces before half-time.

But this has been the tournament of the comeback and we should have known better than to count Japan out. The first glimmer of hope was provided in the final minute of the half, when Shota Hosi pounced on a slack pass from Cardinal to reduce the deficit, shooting through the legs of Joao Benedito.

The Japanese then went for broke with eight minutes remaining and, unlike for Paraguay in the day’s earlier game, it paid immediate dividends. First, Waturu Kitihara found space to place a left-foot shot into the bottom corner and then Morioka sparked panic in their Portuguese ranks by doubling his tally from close range. Then, with four minutes remaining, another amazing comeback was completed when Katsutoshi Henmi scored the equaliser, rifling a low shot that flew in at Benedito’s right-hand post.

The quotes
“We went through a bad spell and the consequence is this result. We played a great first half and then we didn’t deal well with the pressure,”
Jorge Braz, Portugal coach.

“We were nervous and felt a lot of responsibility before this match. People in Japan were saying that we could make history by winning this game or getting a draw. The way we played in the second half was the real Japan,”
Miguel Rodrigo, Japan coach.



Courtesy: FIFA.com


Ukraine spoil hosts’ party

A barrage of first half goals from Ukraine saw them ease to a 5-3 victory over Thailand in the Group A encounter at the Huamark Indoor Stadium.

Played against a backdrop of a partisan atmosphere and extremely noisy crowd, it was the Europeans who kept their cool. However, it was the Thais who started the better of the two teams with Dmytro Lytvynenko forced into fine saves from Kritsada Wongkaeo and Jirawat Sornwichian as early as the first minute.

However, a spell of five goals in 16 minutes ultimately ended the game as a contest. The first came in the fourth minute when Thailand keeper Surapong Tompa failed to claim an easy ball and his spill was turned home by Denys Ovsiannikov.

Three minutes later, a Ukraine counterattack was ended with Sergiy Cheporniuk firing home clinically. Levegen Rogachov ran almost the entire length of the pitch before scoring Ukraine’s third, leaving Thailand hoping to get to half-time still in with a chance.

However, two goals in the final minute of the first half put paid to any real hopes of a comeback. Maksym Pavlenko combined well with Rogachov before the latter tapped the ball home, before Pavlenko got on the scoresheet himself with six seconds of the period remaining.

The hosts ‘won’ the second half, by scoring three unanswered goals, but in truth Ukraine had taken their foot off the gas.

The majority of the crowd finally had something to cheer four minutes after the break when Kritsada Wongkaeo’s free-kick was rifled home. Suphawut Thueanklang scored from 10 metres and Sornwichian provided arguably the best finish of the match for Thailand’s fifth in the final minute.

The quotes
“I told my players that Ukraine are a very patient team and that we had to take the same approach, but I know it was too much to ask of them. Their first goal came from a mistake and when they kept scoring, I thought the worst. At half-time, I asked them to try to score the first goal, and we managed to do that. In the end, we ran out of time and were a bit unlucky,"
Victor Hermans, Thailand coach.

“We expected a tough match, but we played a great first half, topping our best performances. In the second half Thailand improved, but we lost our concentration and made some mistakes,"
Gennadiy Lisenchuk, Ukraine coach.



Courtesy: FIFA.com


Brazil thrash Libya to advance

Brazil have qualified for the last 16 of the FIFA Futsal World Cup with a game to spare after an emphatic 13-0 victory over Libya in Nakhon Ratchasima. The reigning champions were in imperious form as they swept aside Group C’s underdogs with a display that showed just how determined they are to hold on to their title.

Libya began the game assuredly but their resistance was finally worn down by a spectacular opener from Gabriel in seven minutes, sent screaming into the top corner following a quick set piece. Seconds later, Rodrgio doubled Brazil’s advantage minute later with a very different type of goal, stealing in unmarked to score from close range, and the same player made it 3-0 shortly after.

Rodrigo showed the other side of his game on 15 minutes, holding the ball up intelligently for Neto to score, and Fernandinho added a fifth with half-time approaching.

The floodgates opened in the second period, with a Mohamed Rahoma own goal, a second for Fernandinho and Je’s first putting Brazil eight ahead with nine minutes still to play. Just eight seconds separated Brazil’s seventh and eighth goals, and another two from the on-song Fernandinho took the score into double figures soon after.

And there was still time for Je to complete his hat-trick and set up Rafael to get into the scoring act before Libya’s misery was complete, as Brazil qualified with a flourish.

The quotes
“It was a match we took seriously from the first minute until the end and that’s why we managed to win tonight by such big margin. I’m happy with the result,”
Marcos Sorato, Brazil coach.

“It was hard to play against the defending champions and there is a big gap between the two teams. When the difference in the scoreline is more than four or five goals, it is very hard to get back into the game,”
Libya coach Pablo Prieto.




Courtesy: FIFA.com


Brazilian magic on day of comebacks

Sunday 4 November 2012

Brazil are the first team guaranteed a spot in the Round of 16 at the FIFA Futsal World Cup Thailand 2012. The South Americans cruised to a 13-0 victory over Libya and are now certain to make the next round with six points at the top of Group C. Portugal were seemingly set to emulate their South American group rivals, but the Europeans tossed away a comfortable 5-1 lead against Japan and now depend on results in the final round of matches, when they face no less a challenge than the goal-hungry Brazilians.

Costa Rica staged a similar if less spectacular comeback in their Group A encounter. The Central Americans were 2-0 down to Paraguay at half-time, but ended up celebrating a 6-3 victory. The man of the match at Indoor Stadium Huamark in Bangkok was Edwin Cubillo with three excellent goals. Ukraine's victory over hosts Thailand in the parallel fixture means the last round of matches in this group includes a genuine do-or-die affair.

The fourth matchday featured 40 goals, the most on a single day at the tournament so far, with Brazil's Fernandinho the most prolific player as he hit four goals in his side's thumping win.

Results
Paraguay 3-6 Costa Rica
Thailand 3-5 Ukraine
Portugal 5-5 Japan
Brazil 13-0 Libya

Goal of the day
Paraguay-Costa Rica, Edwin Cubillo (30'41)
Costa Rica hitman Cubillo was the eye-catching player in the meeting with Paraguay. He contributed hugely to the Central Americans’ fine comeback with two assists and a goal, but topped even that when doubling his personal tally. After the Paraguay keeper had come out of his goal, his mishit pass fell at Cubillo’s feet.

The striker instantly returned the ball from the edge of his own area, watching as his shot sailed practically the length of the pitch and into the empty Paraguay net. His third goal in the 6-3 victory was almost a carbon copy of the second as he again lobbed the opposing custodian.

Memorable moments
Thanks for your support
The Thailand futsal national team have enjoyed tremendous support so far. Once again, a huge throng of fans packed into the Bangkok stadium to witness the hosts’ meeting with Ukraine. By way of thank you to the fans at the World Cup in their home country, the Thai players threw armbands in national colours into the crowd prior to the match, drawing frenetic applause in return. Ukraine then pooped the party by taking a 5-0 half-time lead, but the Thai fans politely applauded each of the five goals, and later hailed their side’s spirited fightback with a Mexican wave at the end - a stunning display of sportsmanship and fair play.

You win some, you lose some
Paraguay and Japan opted to try out one of futsal’s new laws today, with sharply contrasting outcomes: for Japan, it led to an ultimately deserved equaliser, but in Paraguay's case, the result was a disaster. The new rule allows goalkeepers to leave their areas and cover the entire pitch, supporting the outfield players in attacking positions. Paraguay's Gabriel Ayala pulled on the keeper’s shirt and joined his team in attack, but the South Americans lost possession not once but twice, allowing Tico sharpshooter Cubillo to score two spectacular long-range goals. However, when the Japanese tried the same move, the introduction of Nobuya Osodo as keeper ultimately contributed to the last-gasp equaliser.

Stat of the day
49 - The number of seconds which passed before Portugal scored their first goal against Japan. It was the fastest goal of the tournament to date and was a terrific effort too: Ricardinho used the sole of his foot to play the ball back to Cardinal on the right flank. He squared to the lurking Joao Matos, who duly slotted home from close range.

The words
“As I said to my players at half-time, ‘score the first goal and the rest will follow automatically’," Costa Rica coach Diego Solis on his team’s remarkable comeback against Paraguay.

Next up
Monday 5 November 2012 (all times given are local)

Group B
Morocco-Iran 19.00
Spain-Panama 21.00

Group D
Australia-Mexico 17.00
Argentina-Italy 19.00






Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com